ACTVETS to support members getting First Aid Training

Following a number of recent events, the Club committee wish offer its support to members to undertake first aid training. . . . with the 'catch' being that you will make yourself available for the very occasional event when we need an in-house first-aider.

We are doing this because we occasionally find that our contracted first aid/sports trainer provider cannot supply a person for an event. We then have to call for any first-aid-qualified members to step forward to fill the gap. Also it is very handy to have qualified first aiders amongst our ranks - for example they may be called upon in emergencies (eg at SFP a few weeks ago) and to help club members injured on training rides (just ask the President) and as a vital back-up.

If you can do this, please nominate your interest to me, Alex O'Shea viapresident@actvets.ccand we will organise training through a reputable provider such as St John's atno costto you. Training usually involves a day or so of face to face time which will generally be on a weekend.

Members who have first aid accreditation which has lapsed are also encouraged to be re-accredited. The club will also pay for this. So please also nominate viapresident@actvets.cc, specifying that you need re-accreditation and the body you originally trained with and when you think it lapsed.

We look forward to your great support to the Vets club and fellow members in this regard.

Alex O'SheaPresident

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Interstate Events

• Battle on the Border- Thursday 28 May to Sunday 31 MayIn its short seven year history, the Battle on the Border has become one of the highly sought after cycling festivals in Australia and the largest tour on the Eastern Seaboard.Online registrationhereEnquiries tooffice@battleontheborder.com.au

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 30th May: Pierce's Creek Graded Scratch

Where:Park and signon at the Cotter Reserve car park. Ride up the hill to the start just beyond the Pierce's Creek hill on the Paddys River Road.Note there is nowhere to park at the start.When:Starting at 1:30 pmSign on:15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.Race Description:Pierces Creek hill to Tidbinbilla and backRace Director:Mick DonaldsonContact: Email mdonaldson@netspeed.com.au Ph 0418 486 367 or 6241 8294

RACE REPORTS:

Peter McLennan Gunning Two Day Race – 16/17th May

With near-perfect weather, a full complement of marshals and good bunch sizes, the 2015 Gunning Two Day capped off anther memorable weekend for the club. Continuously running since 1999, the event commemorates the late Peter McLennan, who was tragically killed in an accident in 2009.

Two of the competitors, Graham Hendrie and Bruce Jones, competed at the ACTVCC's first ever event, in August 1993. Our unflappable finish line maestro, Henry Beaverstock, was himself a club founder.

The prologue time trial started right on time and riders were off, plunging down towards the Fish River and up to what seems a very steep climb. Unfortunately, the wind, which started the day as non existent, sprang up and blew into the oncoming riders. A grade finished within 30 seconds from fastest to slowest and the B and C grade times were quite close. Stand-out time was Jesse Graham in B grade, with fastest time of the day. Many riders were 30 seconds slower than their efforts of the previous year. Roger Northcote's C grade time would not have been out of place in A grade.

As the riders returned, a convoy of immaculate veteran cars escorted them.

Stage 1 was a 50 km road race to Breadalbane for all grades with sprint primes on the Cullerin range. All grades rode tightly together, ensuring no one could break away. This made it difficult for the chute and resulted in a some chaos, which was fixed in time for the next days' racing. It was only when we were down to the D grade finish before the Barlow / Ermert tandem established any difference by opening up a gap on the rest of the peleton.

Long before the riders returned, Henry Beaverstock set-up ready to record finishers, with fluoro jacket and laptop supported on tripod. At least one utility driver, hurtling up the highway, slowed down dramatically, assuming the police radar was active!

Sunday was perfect, without a puff of wind. In some years, not as many return for day 2, but in 2015, around 80% of the field were there. There were many tired riders and our valiant first aid lady, Judy, kept one rider under observation and supported another whose knees locked just before the final sprint.

Bottles of Australia kindly donated the water bottles and the helpers had the usual great time, dodging packs and trying not to drop bottles as they were handed over.

The ACTVCC always post time-adjusted results for each stage and this caused some confusion for those who won the bunch sprint at the end of the stage and assumed they would see their name in 1st place. However, it was eventually all sorted.

This year, the Gunning Show-ground team put on the usual high standard lunch and our one-armed club president Alex O'Shea (who also had his arm in a sling in 2014) handed out medals and trophies, signalling the conclusion of a most successful event. The catering cost paid by the ACTVCC will help the Gunning crew paint the hall ready for next year.

Stromlo Criterium – 23rd May

Saturday saw the 1st teams points race of the winter and the day couldn’t have been better from a weather perspective with calm, clear sunny weather and a positively balmy 15 degrees. Also was great to see “El Presidente” up and about after his horrific prang a while ago and we all regaled with amazement with the injuries, the surgery and the recovery that Alex has gone through, and all things travelling well, Alex by his own words expects to get his leg over in the next few weeks (Top Tube of a bike on a wind trainer)

First away were the EFG groups with our beloved race committee member Rob deciding teams using the school yard methodology for picking, that done we came up with a way to keep the lower grades in the race and competitive longer than the usual first 30 seconds. So the teams were then split up into their respective grades and set off on handicaps, which seemed to work but could do with tuning for future events so we can keep the lower grades in the race for longer, needless to say with 8 sprint laps, riders got their monies worth we the “G’s” having representation in the first 3 sprints and the final sprint. Mike Spoljaric’s team home in first followed by Tony Sheehan’s group then Tony Wier’s team in 3rd. Refer to the points report for a full teams. The highlight was the Tandem breaking out halfway through with Rosemary Robinson piloting and Lindy Hou as a more than capable stoker, gapping the field and taking the point from the last 4 sprints.

CD’s were next and probably the most brutal of the 3 races on the card, sprinting almost every other lap and sometimes sprinting without the bell or 5 foot sign as a hint, seemingly for no apparent reason other than a bit of Saturday fun. Delta were away with a minute start and really failed to do anything with it, with Charlie closing in the first two laps, Cameron Ermert and John Barlow on the tandem broke it open after 20 minutes and Sue Powell providing good support ensuring her team would take bonus points wherever possible in guiding lower graded riders over the line and stepping only where required. Dave Gunther took his fair share of points and impressed in sticking out the 45 minutes and kept his team in until the last sprint, With Team Barlow in first, followed by Ally Roche’s in 2nd.

Last way were the AB’s, 55 minutes of tactics and power and quite a bit of both were on display, with the usual suspects in Mark’s Vroomans and Harris, Steve Isbel and Paul Scherl doing most of the effort and taking most of the glory, however with the Handicapping, Peter Young from B stayed amongst the points for the first 4 sprints and popped up on the final lap to get the some more. Also a big welcome back for Ben Davis who has returned after a long lay-off with injury, Mark Taylor’s team home in first place, followed by Team Scherl , with Team Harris (literally a one man Team) still taking 22 points on his own and just demonstrated why he is one of the best points riders in the country.

Thanks to Henry for his usual solid support, also to Chris Nolan and James Mills for helping out, also special thanks to Tom Tokich who sacrificed his ride in order to ensure we had a first aider present so everyone else could could get a ride in.